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Article by Crystal McDowell
Crystal McDowell and her husband of 22 years raise their five children in the Midwest. She writes, speaks, and teaches with a passion to encourage women with Biblical truths. As a freelance writer for over 12 years, Crystal has written numerous Christian curricula for Sunday School and VBS as well as many articles dealing with marriage, motherhood, and relationships. She gives weekly words of encouragement on her blog: Crystal McDowell Speaks
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Well said Crystal,
I especially liked this statement:
“Believers aren’t called to judge those in the world, but we are to love and intercede for those who are deceived”
Jesus said the world is condemned(“judged”) already, so you are correct, we don’t judge because God’s Word has already judged the world(John 3:18,19).
Further you write:
“Their vision has been skewed by sinfulness so that they don’t see or understand their terrible end of eternal darkness”. That is true for many but there are others who know their end, their master and embrace their fate. An example:
I just returned from a trip to Wash, DC. I was handing out some Christian tracks and was departing DC on my last day, bustling towards the subway on a busy street. A black lady, nicely dressed, ran to within 15 feet in front of me holding her fist to her chin, and stirring her hand stating, “This is not right…the aura is wrong” looking in front of my feet. There were many others walking beside me.
She repeated this by running in front of me and confronting me with similar language. She was not high from what I could tell. Finally I said “God Bless You” and the dam burst. She cursed me with every curse I have ever heard and ended by saying, “I know your God… and I want Him dead”.
Evil is real in this world and the battle is still joined between the forces of good and those of evil. If our spiritual eyes were opened I think we would be amazed at those angels protecting our flanks and the enemies of God attempting to impede our progress.
Dear Christians please remember to pray always. “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”(1Thes 5:16-18). Prayer is the fuel which covers us with God’s protection and enables His Will to be accomplished through our lives. There are enemies to God’s Will and Purpose(His Kingdom) who are determined to oppose us. These are the wolves.
This night, Halloween (in spite of the “fun” the children enjoy), reminds us again of the reality of this conflict. God wins in the end, but we must pray.
Blessings,
DocReits
Excellent article, Crystal. And right on time. There are so many posts on fb from “Christians” who don’t even realize the signifigance of what the post represents. I pray that God continues to open our eyes to the things that do not bring Him glory. I had to share this article. Keep allowing God to use you to bring insight to the world.
Thanks much! My prayer is that the body of Christ will wake up out of her spiritual stupor and move with boldness for our Lord Jesus Christ.
Hi DocReits,
Thanks for sharing your insight on this topic. I think that even if an unbeliever has the head knowledge about God and still chooses to not honor Him–it’s a reflection of the darkness within them. I could be naive but my gut instinct is that woman doesn’t have a clue of the fiery eternal judgment she will experience with repentance.
But you know I think it goes both ways…that there are believers who are living under the expectations of God and will therefore experience loss in heaven. They know it, but yet they really don’t know it completely in their hearts–because if they did, there would be much repentance within the body of Christ for the amount of time we waste on worldly affections versus our spiritual heritage.
It was great hearing from you. I hope you have a blessed weekend.
Thanks Crystal,
I have often wondered about the forces compelling those who do not believe in God to live evil lives, avoiding the light, and “choosing” instead to dwell in darkness.
I am sure one of the compelling forces is their own ignorance as you suggest, “I could be naive but my gut instinct is that woman doesn’t have a clue of the fiery eternal judgment she will experience with(out) repentance”. (parentheses mine)
In the past I believed the classical view of evil…a separation between man’s, the world’s and the devil’s influence. The following Scriptures tells us that, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed”(James 1:13,14).
So man is not tempted by God but is drawn away by his own lust. So what is man’s lust and what influences the same? The Scripture tells us, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world”(1John 2:16).
So this lust is of the world. Scripture also defines what this word “world” means in this context:
“…you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath”(Eph 2:2,3)
This “world’s” course follows or operates according to its owner, the devil, as his spirit works in men’s hearts.
In summary, we are pulled away from following righteousness by following our own lusts. These lusts are of the world. The god of this world is the devil and his spirit, through his minions influences all men’s lives, often controlling the unsaved and tempting the saved(In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them, 2 Cor 4:4)
Long introduction. So yes Crystal, I agree with you, that many men and women live in the darkness of unbelief because they have no clue about the reality of their plight. It is my sincere belief that there are others though, who choose evil for evil’s sake. These are the wolves spoken about in Scripture. Here they are:
” And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them”(Rom 1:28-32)
They love evil for evil’s sake. Notice that they “know” the judgment of God, (vs 32), showing that they are not deceived as to their plight. These are like the religious leaders Jesus confronted calling them wolves(Mt 7:15) who sought to devour the sheep. Think about those still unbelieving after Jesus raised Lazarus from the tomb. They didn’t just “not believe”…they sought to kill Jesus for performing this miracle and Lazarus to boot(John 12:10).
Finally there are those who are simply possessed by demon(s). This was not just an apostolic era occurrence. I believe Jesus cast out more demons from people than any other act of healing. These demon possessed people are still among us today.
So in which category was this woman who confronted me on the streets of DC? I do not know for certain. I believe she was either possessed or a devout follower of satan(a witch). I pray for her each day, that God will show mercy and deliver her. I don’t think she wants deliverance but followers, but I still pray.
Thank you for the conversation,
DocReits
How have you not discerned the evil of Halloween?
Hello Jennifer. I do not see Doc’s statement that supports Halloween? Where did this come from? DocReits was only agreeing with Crystal’s statement, “Believers aren’t called to judge those in the world, but we are to love and intercede for those who are deceived.” That has nothing to do with Halloween. How you made that stretch is a mystery to me. DocReits is a rock-solid believer.
thank you God bless you I am preparing to teach on spiritual warfare and i understand that worldliness is one of our enemies that limit us from fulfilling God’s will in our the whole aspects of life. your message supported me.
Temesgen. A
Servant of Christ Jesus
The way of the cross is directly opposite to worldliness